Operation Hug-A-Hero Salutes America’s Littlest Heroes during Month of the Military Child

Operation Hug-A-Hero supports our military children and the children of our fallen public safety officers by providing a free Hug-A-Hero doll to those in need. April is Month of the Military Child but we also salute them all year long.  See our Press Release here.

SERvice TO MAnkind Award from Tampa Gem SERTOMA Club

Operation Hug-A-Hero is humbled to receive the SERvice TO MAnkind award this week from the Tampa Gem SERTOMA Club on Thursday, Sept 22nd in Tampa.  Executive Director Lisa Berg and Key Volunteer Ellen Kluver will accept the award on behalf of our entire Operation Hug-A-Hero team.  The Tampa Gem SERTOMA Club has helped place many dolls into the arms of children in need by their continued generous donations to our cause.

Schools “Dress Down” for OPERATION Hug-A-Hero

Schools “Dress Down” for OPERATION Hug-A-Hero

Join us in celebrating the Month of the Military Child by “Dressing Down” at your school!  Don’t have a uniform dress code at your school?  Join us in a “Pennies for Heroes” fund drive instead!

For our “Dress Down” fundraiser, you determine the amount of the donation that earns your students a dress down day, and we will provide a customized promotional flyer template for you to promote your tribute to military children.

For our “Pennies for Heroes” fundraiser, put a collection receptacle in your school office, cafeteria, gymnasium during sporting events and raise funds for OPERATION Hug-A-Hero!  Again, we will provide a promotional flyer for you to  post and distribute to your students and on your website.

For more information, contact our Director of Development, Stephanie Crabb at 888-HUG-0329, ext 113 or Stephanie At operationhugahero.org. 

Down Load a Full Resolution PDF -SAMPLE-Version of our Dress Down FLYER

St Petersburg Times talks about Operation Hug-A-Hero

Executive Director, Lisa Berg was contacted by reporter Ileana Morales in mid-January to learn more about our cause.  At the time, Mrs Berg was enjoying some family time as her husband, Benjamin Berg, USCG was home for a visit from the Middle East.  Miss Morales and Mrs Berg reconnected and together learned about a local family who is currently without Daddy.

The Brian Dorr Family was gracious enough to let us into their home to allow us to learn more about their lives as an Army Family and their own experiences with Hug-A-Hero dolls while Daddy serves our country.

Please read the St Petersburg Times articles posted on TBO.com: Hug-A-Hero dolls help military children keep deployed parent close.

2009 Holiday Hugs Drive

OPERATION Hug-A-Hero is inviting retailers, businesses, schools, churches and other interested organizations to adorn a holiday tree with OHAH Holiday Hug “ornaments.” Each ornament represents a Hug-A-Hero doll for a child, for a $25 donation. Donors can write a personal message to the child recipient on the back of the ornament which will be lovingly included in the package that OHAH will send to the child. OHAH will also offer the Holiday Hug drive on its website as well, and will offer donors the same opportunity to craft a personal message to the child recipient.

The Holiday Hugs Drive is made simple for the sponsoring organization as OHAH sends all of the materials – the sponsors simply provide the tree or other display for the ornaments. To obtain your Sponsor Package please contact our Director of Development, Stephanie Crabb at stephanie AT operationhugahero.org. or using our Contact Form select the Request a Holiday Hugs Packet option.

The Holiday Hugs for Our Littlest Heroes Drive will continue through January 31, 2010.

Be sure to check out our Press Release

Our Holiday Hug Angel:

Press Release November 17, 2009

OPERATION Hug-A-Hero® Launches Holiday Hugs Drive

OPERATION Hug-A-Hero kicks off its inaugural “Holiday Hugs for Our Littlest Heroes” Drive to provide Hug-A-Hero dolls to the children of military, law enforcement and first responder families this holiday season.

Jacksonville, NC (PRWEB) November 20, 2009 — OPERATION Hug-A-Hero, a 501(c)(3) organization serving the children of military, law enforcement and first responder families, kicks off its inaugural “Holiday Hugs for Our Littlest Heroes” drive this week with the goal of providing 2,500 children with Hug-A-Hero dolls this holiday season.

“I will be leaving behind my fiancee and daughter to go to South Korea for a year. I have only spent a few days apart since she has been born. I am hoping this (Hug-A-Hero Doll) will help her remember me while I am gone.”

OPERATION Hug-A-Hero Executive Director, Lisa Berg, reports a tremendous increase in the applications for the Hug-A-Hero doll program in the weeks leading up to and just after the holiday season. This is due in part, Berg suggests, to the fact that the holidays are very hard for the littlest heroes when they are separated from a parent or other loved one in their lives, or, in the worst case, if they have lost a parent serving in the line of duty. “The separation anxiety is often heightened during the holidays, a time that is already particularly stressful for the family back on the homefront or that is grieving a loss. In addition, the number of units and individuals across our armed forces scheduled to deploy in the January-February timeframe is high,” stated Berg.

A recent application for the OPERATION Hug-A-Hero program from a service member in the United States Air Force readying for deployment puts the need into perspective. The application stated, “I will be leaving behind my fiancee and daughter to go to South Korea for a year. It will be extremely hard for me considering I have only spent a few days apart since she has been born. I am hoping this (Hug-A-Hero doll) will help her remember me while I am gone,” shared Berg.

OPERATION Hug-A-Hero is inviting retailers, businesses, schools, churches and other interested organizations to adorn a holiday tree with OPERATION Hug-A-Hero Holiday Hug ornaments. Each ornament (a $25 donation) represents a Hug-A-Hero doll to be gifted to an eligible child. Donors can write a personal message to the child recipient on the back of the ornament which will be lovingly included in the package that OPERATION Hug-A-Hero will send to the child. The Holiday Hugs Drive is made simple for the sponsoring organization as OPERATION Hug-A-Hero sends all of the materials – the sponsors simply provide the tree or other display for the ornaments.

Individuals who want to participate in the Holiday Hugs Drive may do so on the OPERATION Hug-A-Hero website. The website will also offer donors the same opportunity to craft a personal message to the child recipient.

“We are thrilled at the early response from organizations and businesses all over the country who are becoming Holiday Hugs supporters,” shared Stephanie Crabb, Director of Development for OHAH. “Our goal is to have 50 participants in the Holiday Hugs Drive this year, and for each of those sites to display a minimum of 50 Holiday Hug ornaments. If we achieve this goal we will be able to include 2,500 more children in our program.”

The Holiday Hugs for Our Littlest Heroes Drive will continue through January 31, 2010.

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Press Release November 10, 2009

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                      November 10, 2009

OPERATION Hug-A-Hero® Veterans Day American Flag Tribute eBay Auction

OPERATION Hug-A-Hero launches eBay auction featuring an American Flag flown over an historic military installation, in honor of the winning bidder, on Veterans Day. Proceeds raised from the auction will support OPERATION Hug-A-Hero’s programs and services targeting the children of those who serve in the military, law enforcement and as first responders.

United States (PRunderground) November 10, 2009 – OPERATION Hug-A-Hero®, a 501(c)(3) organization serving the children of military, law enforcement and first responders, launched a very special auction this week on eBay to raise valuable funds and honor those who have served the nation – past, present and fallen – this Veterans Day.

To the highest bidder will go an American Flag, flown specifically in his/her name in honor of those who have served, high and proud over one of the most historically-significant US military installations in the world, on Veterans Day. The unique, one-of-a-kind collectible is expected to generate great interest and a generous bid for OPERATION Hug-A-Hero.

“We are humbled by the individuals who organized this amazing tribute and selected OPERATION Hug-A-Hero as the beneficiary,” stated Stephanie Crabb, Director of Development for the non-profit group. “There is no greater symbol of freedom than the American Flag. To have it fly high and proud, at a US military installation steeped in rich history for our cause, on Veterans Day no less, is incredibly moving for our entire team.”

Once the Flag has been flown, a certificate bearing the name of the winning bidder, the time, location and installation where the Flag was flown will be signed by a commissioned US military officer. Further, the certificate will notify all that the Flag was flown for the winning bidder on behalf of OPERATION Hug-A-Hero and all of those who have served.

The eBay auction is being sponsored by Goin’ Postal in New Port Richey, Florida, a specialist in eBay auction services that donated its expertise and waived all fees associated with the auction as its contribution to OPERATION Hug-A-Hero.

The American Flag Tribute eBay auction for OPERATION Hug-A-Hero will end at 10 pm EST on Wednesday, November 11, 2009. Interested parties may bid on the Flag on eBay, EBay Auction Item number: 180426880681.

For more information on the American Flag Tribute or other OPERATION Hug-A-Hero fundraising initiatives, please contact stephanie@operationhugahero.org

About OPERATION Hug-A-Hero:

Operation Hug-A-Hero® is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization (ID # 26-3006655) serving the children of our nation’s heroes that serve in our armed services, law enforcement and as first responders.

Since its establishment in 2008, Operation Hug-A-Hero has raised funds to launch and implement its Hug-A-Hero doll program. To date, hundreds of Hug-A-Hero dolls have been provided, at no cost, to the children of heroes that are deployed, in harm’s way each and every day, or fallen.

The Hug-A-Hero doll is no ordinary doll. The Hug-A-Hero doll’s design features the head-to-toe photograph of the recipient’s parent or loved one and a personalized message just for them. The doll not only provides comfort in the times of distress or sadness that separation can cause, but also provides a vehicle for the child to share his/her feeling and tell his/her story about his/her hero’s service.

Please visit www.operationhugahero.org to learn more, make a donation or volunteer.

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Founder featured in NC “The Globe” local newspaper

Operation Hug-A-Hero’s founder Tricia Dyal,was interviewed by North Carolina’s local newspaper, Carolina Living. The article is also featured in The Globe, a local paper published for Marine Corps Family’s and the general community at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, NC. Tricia talks about how the organization was started, with it’s roots from her Daddy Dolls Company to today’s Non-Profit Organization.

Operation Hug-a-Hero: Dolls comfort little heroes at home

San Diego 6 Highlights Local Family Touched by Operation Hug-A-Hero

A San Diego Marine Corps family was featured this weekend on San Diego 6 (the CW).  Hug-A-Hero dolls helped the two Wilson children keep their father involved in their daily activities and, as the father mentions, allowed them to easily recognize him upon his return from deployment.  Operation Hug-A-Hero seeks to give out 233 Hug-A-Hero dolls to families in need during this holiday weekend, celebrating and honoring our nation’s 233rd year of Independence.

To view the interview, click the link below:

Operation Hug-A-Hero Supports San Diego Family

When the page loads, watch the 10 second advertisement and then the video will start.

Hug-A-Hero Dolls featured in Free Lance Star

A very good article was written by the team over at the Free lance Star and is featured on their web site – the Fredericksburg.com.

The Article entitled:

HUG A HERO Something to hold tight to Dolls help kids deal with deployments AMERICAN-MADE BEATING THE BLUES

This story details how Daddy Dolls™ came to be the precursor for what is known here at OPERATION Hug-A-Hero™ as the Hug-A-Hero Doll™.  It’s a very good article and worth the read. Just click our link here  to American Made Daddy Dolls story.